Nice, in southeast France, was the scene of tragedy last year when Tunisian-born Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel drove a 19-ton truck along the beachfront on the Bastille Day national holiday, killing 86 people who had gathered to watch fireworks.

As well as his planned quotas, Fillon also wants France to deny social benefits to immigrants who have lived in the country for less than two years.

Fillon, a free market conservative when it comes to economic policy, has continually emphasized his tough approach to immigration.

The election, which has its first round in April, pits Fillon against eight other candidates, including Marine le Pen of the far-right National Front. Le Pen has garnered support from disaffected voters in part because of her hardline stance on immigration and on French Muslims.

Polling suggests that Fillon and Le Pen will be the two candidates to make it beyond the first round of voting in the contest and go head-to-head in the second round in May.